These chocolate brownies taste so decadent but they are in fact free from refined sugar, gluten and dairy PLUS fully loaded with folic acid, manganese and potassium from the beetroot.

2 tbsp ground flaxseed
6 tbsp water
2 beetroot, cooked or grated raw
1 1/4 c coconut milk or cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 c flour (I used a spelt mix but you can use ground almonds, oat flour or other GF flours)
3/4 c unrefined sugar 
3/4 c cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp s...

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These raw crackers are pretty tasty. Great by themselves or with dips and spreads. It's from The Unbakery by Megan May (Beatnik, 2014). You'll need a dehydrator - the crispier the better.

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 4-6 hours
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 4-6 hours
1 cup flaxseed, ground (I use a coffee grinder)
1/4 c flaxseed
1 beetroot, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 red onion, finely chopped
3/4 c filtered water
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp rosemary or thyme, choppe...
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A great way to use vegetables in baking and the kids will never know. I like brownies with raspberries or nuts sometimes, but my kid prefers plain flavours so I've kept it simple.

300g beetroot, boiled, peeled and cut into chunks
3 eggs or make flaxseed eggs
1/2 c sweetener such as rice malt syrup, maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, panela (not agave)
1/4 c melted coconut oil or butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 c cocoa or cacao powder
1 c flour or almond...
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I made a chocolate beetroot cake in 2015 that used raw beetroot, this one uses cooked beets and I think that helps to give the cake a real fudgy texture. Kids won't even know there's beetroot in there! This recipe is from Marian Keyes' Saved By Cake, but I used less sugar.

250g cooked beetroot
100g dark chocolate
125g butter
1c muscovado or brown sugar
3 eggs
225g flour (I use spelt)
30g cocoa powder
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 180C and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Grate the beetroot or blit...
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This recipe is a lot easier than Nigel Slater's one that Ginny made, even though it's probably not as decadent. But I added jam and cream for a special birthday treat. I like that the beetroot is added in raw, you don't have to precook.
This is adapted from the NZ Woman's Weekly.

1 c brown or muscovado sugar
1 1/2 c vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 c 5flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c cocoa
1 tsp salt
2 c raw beetroot, peeled and grated
Ganache: melt 125g dark chocolate, 1 tb...
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I went to the Auckland Food Show this year and saw Dr Libby and Chef Cynthia's demo. They made this raw beetroot chocolate mud cake - turned out well. They also showed how quickly it is to make proper raw chocolate with cacao butter, cacao, nibs and peppermint oil so I'm gonna try that soon too.
I'm entering this into August's Sweet New Zealand, hosted by Sweets and Brains.


For the cake:

• 2 cups Brazil nuts
• 4 fresh medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 medi...

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